Bolton also suggested Iran is still seeking a nuclear arsenal despite its adherence to the 2015 nuclear deal.
National Security Adviser John Bolton has once again gone on the offensive against Iran, even as his boss seeks to de-escalate the war of words between Tehran and Washington.
Bolton said the attacks were carried out with naval mines placed “almost certainly by Iran,” but did not provide any evidence to support the assertion. Last week, the Pentagon made a similar accusation. Director of the Joint Staff Rear Admiral Michael Gilday said the military attributed the attack to Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, declining to describe “the means of delivery” of the limpet mines.
Trump is a long-time critic of the agreement, which lifted crippling sanctions on Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. The president withdrew the U.S. from the accord last year, claiming the deal was ineffective and did not go far enough. The administration wants to renegotiate the agreement to include limitations on Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional influence, though Tehran has said neither is up for negotiation.
Before the JCPOA was signed, Iran produced enriched uranium with around 20,000 centrifuges at two separate facilities sites. The deal dictated that only 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges could be used at just one site, while the national uranium stockpile would be cut by 98 percent—to 660 pounds—for 15 years. The country's maximum level of uranium enrichment was set at 3.67 percent.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bolton says Iranian naval mines likely used in UAE tankers attacksU.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton says Iranian naval mines likely used in UAE tankers attacks via LisaBarrington
Read more »
North Korea says John Bolton is a 'defective human product'Harsh words follow Bolton's criticism of Pyongyang missile tests.
Read more »
Venezuela avoids war for now with talks, but John Bolton is still fighting on TwitterVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said the talks had a 'peaceful agenda,' but national security adviser John Bolton said 'his exit' was 'the only real solution.'
Read more »
Bolton says N. Korea missile tests violated UN resolutionsU.S. national security adviser John Bolton has called a series of short-range missile tests by North Korea last month a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and says sanctions must be kept in place
Read more »
U.S. arms sales to Saudis, UAE, Jordan needed to deter Iran: PompeoSecretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday the Trump administration had decid...
Read more »
North Korea dubs Bolton's comments 'inordinately ignorant': KCNAU.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is 'inordinately ignorant' ...
Read more »
North Korean missile test violated U.N. resolution, says BoltonU.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday North Korea's r...
Read more »
U.S. National Security Adviser Bolton says North Korean missile tests violate U.N. resolutionU.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said ...
Read more »
Tensions rise between Pompeo and BoltonAs national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo jockey for influence amid a variety of pressing international concerns, including Iran, North Korea and Venezuela, there is growing tension between the two men, sources say
Read more »